In this paper, high rainfall years (anomalies greater than 100%) and low rainfall (lower than normal) years were identified using the long-term and monthly precipitation values during 1987–2016 period for the autumn (October–November–December) and winter (January–February–March). In this connection, the Madden–Julian oscillation (MJO) and the North Atlantic oscillation (NAO) indices as well as the frequency of cyclones formed in the eastern Mediterranean were studied using the ERA5 reanalysis data with a resolution of 0.25°. The results showed that during heavy (low) rainfall years, the NAO monthly indices were positive (negative), the MJO was critical and in phases 2 and 8 (weak), respectively. The number of cyclones formed during the high rainfall years was higher than the low rainfall years and most of the cycles formed in the high and low rainfall periods were moderate and weak, respectively.